Today on 10 Questions With… we have Pam Zeidman…
1. How did you become involved with dance?
I started dancing at age 9 because I kept waking up with dance moves running through my head and needed an outlet. My mom enrolled me in jazz and tap – a perfect fit for me. I started choreographing and teaching the neighborhood kids at age 12 – putting on dance recitals in my garage with the parents sitting in lawn chairs on the drive
2. What are you currently doing in the field?
Currently I am the Midwest Program Director for American Dance Training Camps, an instructor for Trilogy Performing Arts (Lake Zurich, IL) and Christian Youth Theatre (CYT). I am also an adjudicator with Spotlight Events.
3. Would you share a special moment from your career with readers?
I’ve had many “special moments” in my dance career, but probably the most memorable was when I got to meet Debbie Allen after I choreographed “Fame – The Musical.” I’ve always admired her rise to “fame” and respected her passion for dance.
4. What is the best advice you have ever received from a teacher or mentor regarding dance?
Mme. Peff Modelski, a wonderful fount of knowledge, has imparted some simple truths to me: “Don’t tell the brain you can’t do something.” “Fear and dance don’t live in the same house.” “Use your body parts for what they are made for.”
5. What has been your greatest challenge?
My greatest challenges have come recently as I’ve reached the ripe old age of 50 and find my body not responding the way it use to and having to make adjustments to compensate for it
6. Do you have any advice for dancers who want to go on to a professional career?
My advice for dancers who want to pursue a professional career in dance is to have a back-up plan in the event something goes wrong. As with any professional athlete, one wrong move could mean the end of a career, and then what? Also, become a triple threat! Dancers who can sing and act are more marketable.
7. How do you feel dance has changed over the past decade?
In the past decade I’ve seen dance become more physically demanding. Young dancers really have to be nice to their bodies if they want to have longevity in this business. That means maintaining a healthy diet and getting enough rest in between dance classes.
8. Where do you think dance is going?
With reality shows like “So You Think You Can Dance,” “America’s Got Talent,” and “Dancing with the Stars,” I could see dance becoming more and more popular on television. I’d really love to see a melding of all the arts with the return of variety shows.
9. What do you enjoy most about your life in dance?
I think the thing I enjoy about my dance life is the way it surprises me. Opportunities that have come knocking have pushed me beyond what I ever thought I could do. Watching my students blossom and grow is wonderful to watch as well.
10. What is next for you?
What is next for me?? To continue to choreograph musicals. I love the theatre and have always dreamed of choreographing a Broadway show someday.
BIO: Pam Zeidman is a successful and dynamic teacher, and award-winning choreographer with over twenty-five years of experience motivating and inspiring dancers of all ages and levels. Pam is a workshop presenter, master teacher, writer, and adjudicator. She has been a studio manager for two top dance schools in the Chicago area. As a choreographer, some of her musical theatre credits include: “Fame – the Musical,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “Aida,” “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,” “South Pacific,” “Damn Yankees,” “The Wiz,” “Pippin,” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Currently, Pam is the Midwest Program Director for American Dance Training Camps, and teaching in the Northwest Suburbs.
Trained in all areas of dance, Pam specializes in Musical Theatre, Jazz and Lyrical.
